Typewriting machine



April 1939- R. e. THOMPSON 2,156,001

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1937 4 Sheets Sheet 1 m INVENTOR RUSSELL G. THOMRSO/V April 1939- R. G. THOMPSON 2,156,001

TYPEWRITING MACHI NE Filed June 21, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-.2

(\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\w TTORNEY April 1939- R. e. THOMPSON 2,156,001

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 2? RUSSELL G. THOMPSON ATTORNEY P R. G. THOMPSON I 2,156,001

TYPEWR I T ING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 a? g (\E M: Ei'll 9 INVEN R RUSSELL G. THOMPSON ATTORN EY Patented Apr. 25, 1939 TYPEWRITIN G MACHINE Russell G. Thompson, West Hartford, Conn., as-

signor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 21, 1937, Serial No. 149,344

1 Claim.

This invention relates to typewriting machines and with regard to certain more specific features thereof to a device for controlling the escapement and ribbon vibrator of a typewriter by power actuated means selectively operable from keys at the keyboard of the machine.

Although the invention has particular adaptation to power-driven typewriters and to typewriters embodying noiseless type actions, it

will be obvious that the invention, in certain of its aspects, is applicable to manually operated typewriters and to type actions of other than noiseless character.

In power-driven key-selective typewriters em- 1 ploying a constantly rotating drive roller and a plurality of actuators selectively engageable with the drive roller to effect various operations of the machine, there is apt to be considerable shock and noise incident to the engagement of the actuators and to the movements and contacts resulting from that engagement. In power-driven typewriters embodying a fluted or toothed roller as the power-drive element, it is desirable that the actuators used therewith be arranged in a row parallel with the roller and connected directly by links or levers with the various typ actions and other operating devices for the carriage shift and return, and for tabulation, letterspacing, back-spacing, etc. 3o\ In order to obtain a suitable operating speed of the machine the drive element is rotated rapidly with the result that the particular actuator temporarily moved into engagement withthe roller is picked up abruptly and thrown a short distance with considerable force.

It is an aim of the present invention to utilize these movements of the actuator to control the operation of the letter-feed escapement and the ribbon vibrator and yet provide a mechanism which is inexpensive, durable and substantially silent in operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which shall include the silent characteristic and at the same time control the ribbon vibrator in such manner that the field position or the ribbon may be varied at will and whatever field is employed may be caused to substantially dwell opposite the type as it approaches printing position, prints, and substantially recedes from printing position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a single element common to the control of the escapement and ribbon vibrator and adapt it who actuated by the actuator set in operation by any type character key and by an actuator set in operation by the space bar of the machine.

Other ob ts will'be in part obvious and in part pointe out particularly hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings wherein is 5 shown one of various possible embodiments of the invention:

Fig. l is a view in top plan of a power-driven typewriter embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a central fore-and-aft section of the m typewriter shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in skeleton perspective showing the escapement, ribbon vibrator and controlling devices therefor.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the field-changing l5 mechanism of the ribbon control.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the field-changing mechanism shown in Fig. 4 with certain parts in section.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of the universal 20 bar and its mounting.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the universal bar shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section through the universal bar, the view being enlarged over actual 25 size in order to more clearly show the constructlon.

Fig. 9 is a view in fore-and-aft section through the machine, showing the ribbon vibrator and controlling devices. 3

The machine comprises a frame having left and right side walls 2| and 22 joined by a front cross bar 23 and at the rear by a rear wall 24.

A backbone 25 and a cross bar 26 extend from one side wall of the machine to the other.

The backbone 25 has an upwardly extending flange 21, a rearwardly extending flange 28 and a downwardly extending flange 30. The last said flange defines a right angle shoulder with the body of the cross bar and in the final construction of the bar a circular gang cutter is run into the bar from the rear producing a multiplicity of spaced slots 3|. The peripheries of the gang cutter are entered into the backbone to an extent suflicient to pass through the shoulder defined by the body of the bar and the flange 30 so that the bar, as finally formed, has its flanges 21 and 28 comb-slotted and spaced openings are produced at the shoulder provided by the flange 30. v

A standard 4-bank keyboard is indicated at 32 comprising type character keys, one of which is indicated at 33 and also having carriage shift and return keys, back space and margin release keys and the tabulator bar 34. Each of the type character keys 33 has its associated key lever 35 extending to the upper flange 21 of the backbone 25 with its end in the slot 3| where it is pivoted on a pin 36 extending transversely through the flange 21.

'A space bar 31 is located at the front of the keyboard on the opposite side arms 38 and 48 which in turn are fixed on a shaft 4| which is suitably journaled in opposite side walls of the machine. Arm 38 has a laterally extending pin 42 engaging in a slot 43 of a lever 44 which has its rear end located in one of the slots 3| in the backbone and pivoted, as in the case of the character levers, on pin 31.

An actuator 45 is arranged in each slot 3|, thus presenting all of the actuators in a row parallel with a drive element 46 which, in the present preferred form of the invention, is in the shape of a toothed or fluted roller journalled in opposite side walls of the machine and driven through a shaft 41 from an electric motor indicated generally at 48. Each actuator is slotted near its upper end as indicated at 50. Through the slots a pivot pin 5| passes and is held in flange 28 of the backbone. Thus-the actuators are located for a limited movement in the slots 3| by the pin and slot connection 5|l5|. The actuators extend downwardly through the slots 3| and are shaped with a front edge which normally lies against the depending flange 36 of the backbone. To yieldingly receive the actuators against this flange a flne wire coil spring 52 is located in a shoulder cut in the rear of flange 30 and a plate 53 is secured to the under surface of flange 30 to hold the spring 52 in position. The lower end of each actuator is formed with a forwardly extending arm 54, the forward end of which is connected by a spring 55 with the plate 53. These springs serve to return the actuators to normal position after they have been projected downwardly following engagement with the power-drive element. The arms 54 have their rear edges tapered at 56 so as to facilitate entry of the arms between balls 51- of a crowder look. A lug 58 on each actuator just above its arm 54 is adapted to take a position between the balls of the crowder look after the actuator has been projected downwardly and thus prevent entry of any other actuator until the one originally projected has been returned;

To move the actuators 45 into engagement with the drive roller 46 each of the type character 'levers 35 and the space bar lever 44 is provided with a dog-carrying arm 66 having a dog 6 I pivoted thereon at 62 and held in normally horizontal position by a spring 63 connecting a forward end of the dog with a lug 64 on the arm 60. The rear end-or nose 65 of dog 6| projects through openings 66formed where the circular gang cutter intercepted the right angle shoulder of the backbone and cut a series of openings in the front of flange 36. Thus the ,dogs enter the slots 3| in line with actuators 45 and as any key is depressed the dogs are advanced to move the actuator toward the drive roller 46. Each actuator carries a pivoted pawl 61 having two teeth 68 one of which hangs normally in position to be engaged by teeth of roller 46 and when so engaged the pawl 61 will swing -around its pivot to lead the second tooth on the pawl into engagement with the following tooth of drive roller 46,

whereupon the pawl 61 reaches the limit of its pivotal movement on the actuator and is moved downwardly carrying the actuator downwardly until a cam edge 70 of the actuator engages an adjustable throw-off screw H on cross bar 26.

The upper end of the actuator is connected by a link 12 with an actuating lever 13 of a noiseless type action indicated generally at 14. Although the type action may be of any suitable form I prefer to use an action similar to the one shown and described in my copending application filed June 21, 1937, Serial No. 149,343, in which the movement of the actuator and the pull down of link 12 establishes certain toggle-locked relationships of the parts which are maintained until the type barhas advanced to the printing point and substantially receded therefrom. The type bars of the type action are arranged in an arc as clearly shown in Fig. 1. arranged in a straight row, as previously stated, and compensation is made by varying the links 12 as to length or position, or both. Springs 55 return the actuators to their normal position as soon as this return is permitted by the positions of the type action and as the actuator returns upwardly, if the operators finger has not been removed from the operated key, a shoulder 15 on the actuator will pick up the nose of dog 6| and swing it around the dog pivot against the opposition of spring 63 where it will remain inclined and ineffective until the operator removes the finger and the key lever returns to upper The actuators are stop position as determined by a cushion stop 16.

versely of the machine,

A stop bar extending between the side walls of the machine limits the downward movement of key levers 35 so that the dogs 6| will be advanced just sufliciently to insure the engagement of the actuators with the drive roller 46. The space bar 31 is also limited in its depression movement by a stop flange 8| on arm 40 engaging an adjustable stop 82 in a bracket 83 secured to side wall 22 of the frame. Thus the space bar lever 44 is limited in its pivotal movement so that its dog 6| will cause suitable engagement of its corresponding actuator with the drive roller 46.

The escapement and ribbon vibrating mechanism will now be described. The cross bar 26 which carries at its forward side the crowder lock mechanism including the balls 51 is provided with rearwardly extending ears 64 and 85' at opposite sides on the machine. These ears carry pivot screws 86 which are adjusted to engage in conical recesses in the end of a shaft 81. Rolled around this shaft and suitably secured thereto as by welding at spaced points is one side 88 of an otherwise substantially flat universal plate or bar. 66. This bar is constructed of at least two plies of thin material, preferably metal, as shown clearly in Fig. 8 of the drawings, the upper ply being indicated at 9| and the lower ply at 82. These thin metal plies or strips are spot welded together to produce a laminated bar which will absorb vibrations incident to the impact of the actuators with the bar. Preferably, I employ a rather wide bar and so arrange the bar with respect to the actuators that the latter contact with the former along the margin of the bar remote from the pivot. If desired the bar may be slotted along its forward margin as indicated at 93 thus providing teeth which may be individually bent to produce a localized adjustment of the bar with each particular actuator. The universal bar 90 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 2, abutting a cushion 69 on a comb-slotted plate 19, by a torsion spring 84 shown in Fig. 3. Thus the universal bar underlies any key-selected actuator prior to the downward movement of the actuator by the power drive member 46. As the actuator is moved downwardly it picks up the universal bar by one of its teeth and swings the bar around its pivot 86 in opposition to the spring 94 until the cam edge 10 engages throw-ofi screw 1I: and the actuator is thus urged forwardly to escape the universal bar. Therefore, in every instance of a selection and power actuation of a type bar, or movement of the space bar lever, followed by a power actuation of an actuator, the universal bar 90 is struck by an actuator and rocked. It is, however, almost immediately released to the action of its return spring 94 which restores it to normal position against the plate 19.

At the end of the universal bar proximate the side wall 22 the bar has secured to it an arm 95 which arm is connected pivotally to a link 96 which in turn connects to a lever 91 pivoted at 98 to a bracket 99 which latter is supported in fixed relation to the frame. Lever 91 has its opposite end provided with a headed stud I00 upon the shank of which there is loosely articulated an arm IOI having at its upper end an angular projection I02 with a forwardly extending pin I03. The pin I03 passes forwardly through a curved slot I04 in an arm I05 fixed to the end of a shaft I06 suitably journaled in fixed relation to the frame in brackets I01-I08.

The pin I03 has a fiange I II) which is positioned forwardly of the arm I05. The shank of the pin forward of the-flange IIO rests in a yoke end III of an arm II2 pivoted at II3 on a bracket arm II4 connected to the frame. At the pivot end of arm I I2 there is a slight lateral extension which turns upwardly at I09 and inwardly to provide a spaced pivotal relation at II3. An operating lever II5 has a rearwardly extending arm "9 which is connected to the upward turn I09 of arm I I2 with provision for relatively slight movement about a horizontal axis. An operating finger piece II6 projects through the frame of the machine into position to be manipulated by the operator. The slot I04 of arm I05 is substantially on a radius from the stud I00, thus providing for movement of the arm IOI with the pin I03 riding through the slot. Midway of the slot I04 it enlarges in an up and down direction providing for up and down movement of pin I03 without rocking the arm I05. This is a neutral or stencil position of the ribbon vibrator mechanism. In either extreme position of the pin I03 in slot I04 the arm I05 is rocked each time the universal bar is depressed by an actuator as the depression of the universal bar straightens a toggle involving the links 95-96 which transmits movement through lever 91 and arm IOI to pin I03. In accordance with the distance of the pin I03 from the axis of movement of arm I05 there will be a greater or lesser rocking movement of arm I05 and a corresponding difference in angle to rotative movement of shaft I06.

At the rear of shaft I06 there is an arm II8 which is connected by a link I with an ear I2I on a bell crank lever I22 pivoted at I23 on a bracket I24 secured to a cross bar I25 of the frame. Lever I22 carries a stud I26 the shank of which rides in a slot I21 in bracket arm I24. A ribbon guide is indicated in Fig. 3 at I28. It is of substantially U formation and at its right stem at the upper portion thereof bell crank lever I22 is connected at I30. On the same side and below the pivot I30 a link I3I pivotally connects with the ribbon guide at I32. The other end of link I3I is pivotally connected at I33 with the bracket I24.

A bichrome ribbon indicated generally at I84 has, for example, a black field or stripe I35 and a red field or stripe I36. The ribbon is suitably reeved through the ribbon guide I28 for passage therethrough in a lengthwise direction under control of the rlbbon feed mechanism and it is supported for movement by the guide toelevate one or the other of the fields into position opposite the printing line at each actuation of the ribbon vibrator mechanism. If the pin I03 is at the right extreme of slot I04 the same amount of downward pull of pin' I03 will give a correspondingly greater angle of movement of shaft I06 than is obtained'when the pin I03 is at the left extreme of slot I04. Thus the ribbon I35, will be elevated a greater distance when the pin I03 is at the right extreme and the red field of the ribbon will be presented to the printing line upon each actuation of the universal bar. When the pin is in the center of the slot I04 movement of the universal bar merely plays the pin up and down in the central opening without rocking the arm I05.

About midway of the length of the universal bar an angle bracket I31 is secured to the bar and an upstanding arm I38 of this bracket is pivotally connected to a pull rod I40. The rear end of the pull rod projects through an eye I4I of a rocker frame I42 which has its opposite ends engaged by pivot screws I43 threaded in arms I44 of a bracket secured to the frame of the machine. Suitable spring means indicated at I45 serve to hold the rocker frame normally in its horizontal position and return it to that position after it has been rocked by the universal bar through the connections just described. A stepping dog I46 is mounted on the rocker frame with provision for swinging movement a distance corresponding, to the distance between teeth I41 of an escapement wheel I48 which is rotatively mounted in a plate I50 secured to a cross bar I5I. A shaf-t I52 has a splined connection with the escapement wheel I48 and extends upwardly to a suitable journal bearing I53 which in turn is secured to a carriage track Within the track a carriage rail I55 is mounted for endwise movement on anti-friction bearings and secured to the track is a carriage rack I56 in engagement with a pinion I51 on the upper end of shaft I52. Thus for each step of escapement of the wheel I48 the rack I56 is permitted to escape one step of movement under the influence of the usual carriage spring. The rail I55 is secured to opposite and frames 156% of a carriage which includes a roller platen The rocker frame I42 at the rear of the machine has a forward obliquely extending arm I6I upon the end of which there is pivotally mounted a holding dog I62. Normally this dog is in engagement with a fiat face of one of the teeth I41 of escapement wheel I48. A coil spring I63 connects a tail I 64 of dog I62 with a tail I65 of dog I46. As the rocker frame I42 is rocked by the engagement of an actuator with the universal bar both dogs I46 and I62 are during which spring I63 is stressed. After the actuator has passed beyond the universal bar, the bar is returned and the. rocker frame is moved in the reverse direction, which enters the holding dog into position againstthe next tooth of the escapement and moves the vdog I46 out of engagement with the wheel, whereupon its spring I63 returns it to its original position where it is adapted to engage between the next teeth of the escapement wheel upon subsequent movement of the universal bar. Thus on every power actuation of the type bar the letter feed escapement is let off one step prior to the type bar reaching the printing point.

It will be noted that owing to the toggle straightening action of arm 95 and link 96 the movement upward of the ribbon vibrator will be at first speedy followed by deceleration and a substantial dwell at its upper extreme. This provides a very desirable action in that the ribbon, when at the printing line and engaged by the type, is substantially without movement so that the liability of blurred writing is obviated.

'Desirably the platen carriage is mounted on pairs of upstanding flat springs at opposite sides of the machine which bias the carriage so that a rail I66 thereof is constantly urged rearwardly against a plate I61 on an upstanding arm I68 of a center tie "0. This mounting and a means for adjusting the platen carriage slightly in a direction fore-and-aft of the machine are de-.

scribed in detail in my copending application filed Feb. 20, 1937, Serial No. 126,902.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a. universal bar is provided for controlling the ribbon vibrator and escapement mechanism of the typewriter, which bar has its resonance reduced substantially by its laminated construction and which bar is so arranged withrespect to the quickly moving actuators which strike it on its front margin that the leverage thus provided materially reduces the resistance of the bar to the blow of each actuator which further makes for quietness in operation. All of the actuators strike the bar with substantially the same force out on its front margin. The escapement and ribbon vibrator are operated conjointly and the toggle 95-96 determines a dwell for the ribbon vibrator at its upper extreme.

What is claimed is:

In a power-driven typewriter, a power-drive element, a plurality of selectively operable actuators arranged in a row parallel to said drive element, a comb-slotted member adapted to receive the actuators respectively in the slots and a universal plate mounted for pivotal movement on an axis parallel with the drive member and normally spring-held in position against said comb-slotted memberso as to underlie the slots.

RUSSELL G. THOMPSON. 

